


The slum quarter

by Prisca



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Bingo, Get Your Words Out Bingo 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-04 01:32:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10979586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: Casey plans to do a photo series about an abandoned district of Herrington but Zeke is slightly worried





	The slum quarter

Picture Prompt:

„Ähm, Casey.“  
Zeke started to feel more and more uneasy. Usually, he was not a guy who would get scared easily. But the slum quarter Casey had let him to was not what he had expected when the boy he told him that he needed to show him a special place.

Casey was a photo geek, that was for sure, and he usually didn't take pictures of pets, flowers or laughing people. His works were always a bit dark and mysterious, full of loneliness. Sometimes it almost broke Zeke's heart to look at his pics because he couldn't help but wonder how much of Casey's real feelings hid in them. It had never been easy for him. His parents cared for him by giving him a home and regular meals and clothes, but they weren't able to understand his dreams and wishes. He was a brilliant student but more a loner no one wanted to hang around with for longer. The friendship, which had started to grow between Zeke and Casey, was a strange one; they didn't have much in common. Even Zeke himself sometimes couldn't understand why he spent so much time with him lately. But Casey was exceptional, and he somehow felt the urge to protect him.

„I guess we should better go back. It looks as if it starts raining soon.“

The sky was covered with gray clouds; only some rare sunbeams still made their way into the small and empty back road. Deepening the shabby atmosphere. Abandoned red bricked houses with broken, nailed up windows, rusted balconies, faded graffiti and filled to overflowing bins which let Zeke think about rats and other bugs which might hide among them, and about dubious guys he would prefer not to run into.

But Casey shook his head.  
„You can leave if you want; I will stay here for another while. I want to take in the atmosphere, without any distractions. At the weekend I will come back with my camera. I plan to do a photo series.“

„Don't you think there are better places to take photos? This street is kinda scaring.“

„Only when you believe that 'Supernatural' is real and this is a place full of monster or ghosts.“  
Casey laughed slightly, and his blue eyes were sparkling, then he got serious again.  
„Of course, I could go to a park or the zoo to take pictures, but I was never interested in that. I want my pictures to tell stories. I want to make people think about them.

Look around, Zeke and tell me what you see. An abandoned road, shabby houses without any life? You need to look closer. And you will notice the flowers on the balcony up there. They are still blooming. Or the old doll in the doorframe. This place has stories to tell. It's not long ago that people were living here. They did laugh and cry, and they were dreaming of a better future. 

I wish I could find out who there were and what happened to them. But I'm afraid this is impossible because the people who were living at places like this are forgotten. No one cares about them; no one asks about their whereabout.

This is not fair, Zeke. Every town has places like this, and people close their eyes to it. They call it a slum, they demand that the buildings get demolished to build up a new mall or a high-tech cinema. No one thinks about the people who were living here once.

It's about time that someone reminds them.“

Zeke looked skeptical, though he had to admit that a lot of Casey's words were true. People were selfish and close-minded and to live in a poor neighborhood often enough meant that you had to deal with cut and dries opinions every day anew. Sooner or later property sharks would buy the buildings for a ridiculously low price, to make as much money as possible with it. And no one would ask for the people who had lived here once.

He just wasn't sure if Casey could be the one to change this. He was a good photographer, as far Zeke was able to assess his pictures, but he was still a highschool student who visited photo courses during vacation, not a star photographer who was well known in the whole world. It was pretty doubtable that someone would show any interest in his pictures about this place.

But there was a determined sparkling in his eyes Zeke had noticed never before as if Casey had finally found what he had been looking for since ages already. And he knew, whatever he would say, it wouldn't stop him. Casey would do this photo series, and maybe it would be the best he had ever done because he was following the calling of his heart.

„Yeah,“ Zeke finally said.  
„I guess I can understand what you are talking about. But I ask you for something.“

Casey looked at him questioningly.

„You won't come here alone. Promise me! You will tell me when you plan to go and I will come with you. Day or night, sunshine or rain. Do we have a deal?“

Surprised Casey kept quiet for a while before a relieved smile sneaked on his lips.  
„Okay. Thank you, Zeke.“

„Nothing big, geek-boy.“  
And for whatever reason Zeke suddenly had the feeling that he was doing the only right thing.

**Author's Note:**

> written for: Get your words out Bingo 2017


End file.
